Blackness. That's all I can see. Pain as well; my left shoulder is in pure agony. I blink my eyes and feel them close and re-open but still blackness. The last thing I remember is the gauntlet striking me on the side, sending me sprawling onto the floor. The memory sets off a small explosion of pain in the left side of my head
"Well that's just fantastic"
My voice feels raw and yet sticky at the same time; Side effects of dunked in Kolto. Odds are I'm with the Republic then, the Empire wouldn't waste the effort on a single Jedi, especially one with my connections. They'd try to turn me or execute me publicly; I'd personally rather be executed.
The soft hiss behind me indicates someone has entered the room. Through the force I can tell she's a Jedi, the light pours from her like water down a fall.
"Master Shan warned me that Corellian's were stubborn. I didn't realise the disregard for the odds extended to medical recovery."
The voice is soft and precise. Strong elements of 'Jedi Council' as my father used to call it were there, but there was also something else which I couldn't quite place.
"My name is Vel'eemma. I'm a healer with the Jedi Order. You've been unconscious for nearly two weeks, we didn't think you'd be awake for a while yet."
"Just wait, I'll be running laps round this ship before the end of the week..."
The simple thought of moving sends even more pain jolting through my body.
"... Ok two weeks."
"How long until I can see again?"
"The blow to the head severely damaged the optic nerves and parts of the brain that process images. I've done what I can, and you will get your vision back. But it'll take time."
My knowledge of healing and medicine is somewhat lacking, I'm the first to admit this, but even I know it's a minor miracle that the blow didn't kill me out right.
" Besides; The miraluka spent their entire lives without what we call conventional sight. They see everything through the force, sometimes I envy that.
You get to see people for who they really are, bit just their outward appearance."
I can feel her soft hands on my back; the lightsaber wound is taking a long time to heal, their are easily a dozen other wounds and scars there, but being run through with a lightsaber was easily the worst of the collection. The last bit she said has me intrigued but I decide not to push it, at least not for the moment.
"But they miss out on so much.
The beauty of a Courscant sunset for instance. The way that if you're standing at just the right place and just the right time, the last light catches the windows and for maybe a minute you get these glittering golden spires wreathed in the flame of last light."
"I didn't think you'd been to the Capital before."
I wince; the problem with the lightsaber wound is the way the blade self-cauterises; it saved my life initially but now, according to Vel'eema, the damage is preventing the regrowth of a lot of soft tissue. I have only a passing understanding of what she means, but she keeps poking and prodding in a very gentle but sometimes painful way.
"About ten years ago, I was on a trip of sorts. Just going where the force or fancy took me. I came here after my brief visit to Tython."
"What did you think of Tython? Very few Corellian's make it out there"
"A bit remote, distant and hard to reach.. A bit like most of the Jedi there... No offence."
"None taken."
"I did meet one person there, well actually on the way. A girl, must have been about twelve, on her way to Tython. All alone and half-starved, other kids had bullied her because she was a Chiss..."
"... You gave her some of your food and water. You told her that judgement because of what species they happened to be was silly and that you had a Twi'lek sister.
She spoke a lot about when she got to Tython. She wanted to thank you but didn't understand the differences of opinion between the traditional order and other traditions."
"Does she now?"
"She's getting there I think, but she doesn't leave Tython often."
"I thought I might find you up here"
I didn't really; I pulled some strings and pinged her comm unit, but that would have required a complicated conversation about who I work with.
"I kept thinking about that description of the Courscant sunset. I had to see it for myself."
It's not the only reason she's up here. I worked it out a while ago, but she's still not totally sure how I'll respond, after all it was Chiss who put me here in the first place.
Her Blue-black hair is tied back with a simple bit of cloth and she's dressed in a simple set of brown robes, the ones that no-one looks attractive in, in fact she looks like a model Jedi. The only thing ruining the effect of 'good little Jedi' is that she looks a little sad, at least I think she does, I've not had much experience with Chiss who weren't actively try to kill me.
"Are you really leaving Master Dulius"
I wince at the title. It doesn't feel right; I'm still young and incredibly inexperienced, but they threw it on me when we were awarded our blood stripes. Like it or not Corellia needs hero's right now and my work with the Spectres will never see the light of day; this is the only way my deeds will be able to be credited, at least for the foreseeable future.
"Please, it's Kir or Kiran.. You don't need to be so formal
And I have to go, yes. Our philosophies and actions may differ but I'm still a Jedi. I don't have the gift of healing like you do, but I know how to fight. Out on the front lines I can make a difference."
I reach into the pocket of my trousers (unlike the traditional order I was taught to value practicality over anything else) and pull out a piece of flimsplast. On it is a comm frequency, that only three... No two other people have in the whole galaxy.
"This is my comm frequency. If you're in trouble then give it a try. I'll come as soon as I can."
She takes the flimsplast and holds it in her hand.
"Anyway... I have to go, Lass threatened to leave without me and I'm pretty sure she would to."
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